The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-06-24

~ ut- A1'<s 01s0 - - WAA@t Nts< " 80
most handsome men have ever seen
About this time there came into the
canyon and began working an aban-
boned placer gold mine. . Portuguese
who dwelt with his family In log
cabin hard BY The family. beside
himself. consisted Of wife and several
children. the oldest Of which was
daughter Of seventeen or eighteen
years This girl. though ignorant Of
social refinement, possessed q natural
grace and real beauty Of person. 90 |
that the male portion Of Galena Canyon.
accustomed only TO China women and
harridans Of the mining camp. were
soon. all. more or less. cnamored Of
the pretty Portuguese
This. for the most part. went no
farther than . smile or compliment
given the young woman in gratitude
for the warming Of hearts long stag
nant. as they passed her going TO and
fro from her fathers work. or assisting
her mother outside their cabin door.
There were several. however. among
the younger ones. determined 10 pos
scss the prize. the number. As il usual
" happens. being reduced finally to
two-our friend Frenchy. and good
looking Young daredevil Of an Irish
man named Truckee Dan Whether
either Of them had ever received any
assurance Of favor from the object Of
| their desire was never known. the girl,
SO far as seen. showing TO both alike
only the natural pleasure Of all women
| al being admired Each. however. inn
agined himself to be the favored one
until. on a certain Sunday afternoon.
the Irishman put the question and was
rejected.
| OF course his own failure was inter-
preted BY him As an evidence Of
Frcnchy's success. against whom he
now began to utter threats The lat
ter. who was not naturally quarrel
some. had never been thought violent
but a man from Phoebe. who had lately
passed through the canyon. reported
him 10 have once killed gambler in
that place, and that he was not to be
fooled with
When the new gold discovery was
first talked Of. Frenchy had gone TO
Salt Lake to try and effect sale Of
certain mining prospects taken up by
him in the neighboring Moore's Fork
The uncovcring Of large body OF ore
in this. hitherto supposed worthless
region had two years before. caused
considerable excitement. and nearly
every body in the canyon had a claim
staked out there which they hoped
would one day prove an extension o.
the b.g vein.
Next to Frenchy's most promising
claim was one recorded. on the same
date as his own. in the name u an old
partner Of his now working in Vir
GINA City and named the Modoc- A
I all miners know. in region shown:
! evidence ~ mineral wealth. the grouns
: Is covered with stakes or small piles Q
stones marking claims taken up b.
different prospectors- These. oftel
: trcspassing upon one another. 50 lon'
as nothing valuable j. found. are littl
thought Of. but let any Of them develo
into paying property and straightwa
= its owner j. Obliged TO defend
: against q host Of others 1t Is AIS
: well known that mining propcrt
taken up on the public domain. II
remained unworked beyond certai
time. reverts back unless patented
: and may be recorded anew BY othe
: parties This action. known as ''jumI
= ing" gives rise TO half the quarrel
among the miners. for the prospector
= A. soon a one If their number leave
I the country. are little disposed
Z recognize whatever right he M
leave behind.
! Frcnchy and his partner had thu
Z taken up separate claims. 70 prever
= others from dispufing the ground.
both Of which they had an equal shar'
e The latter. now absent some year an
Z q half. had agreed upon his departur'
Y that Frenchy. upon whom would deepen
4 the holding Of the claims. should
II three-fourths. instead Of one-ha
y owner. and that whatever dispositic
= he might make Of the property shcul
be acquicsced in BY himself
: One day. about week after the al
:: successful ending Of the Irishman
= love suit. Frenchy. upon going up q
z Fork with Salt Lake expert. was su
y priscd to find : couple Of men sinki1
= . shaft upon the Modoc. one II who
7 was Truckcc Dan. Certain the Iris
= mans action had been taken only 4
7. the purpose Of forcing quarrel upe
2 him. and unprcparcd 70 assert \
! rights. he passed on with his companis
=. 70 the claim recorded in his own nam
= which they proceeded % examine. II
" presence Of Others. however. claimiI
e ownership 90 short distance avn
= ruined AL chance Of negotiation. a. q
y strangers first question had be-
9 whether the immediate vicinity "
- claimed by any one else All Frcnrl
g could do was TO repeat what he b.
= already told him-that both prospce
y were alike under his legal control. nj
10 a.. -ss.x~<. h.,xx 80 ~. ..rs. <x...1 filth